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(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1. B GROLL SOWING MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 12, 1897.

Zlfifizessas RAW mm (No man s Sheets-Sheet s.

E. CROLL. SOWING MACHINE.

. No. 574,883. Patented Jan. 12,1897.

Ma d I UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNST OROLL, OF LANGENSALZA, GERMANY.

SOWING-MACHINEI SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.574,883, dated January 12, 1897.

Application filed April 4, 1896. Serial No. 586,194. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ERNST GROLL, machinemaker, a subject of the King ofPrussia, Emperor of Germany, residing at Langensalza, in the Kingdom ofPrussia and German Empire, have invented new and useful Improvements inSowing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a sowing-machine which, while being thoroughlyefficient, shall be simple and cheap to construct. According thereto Iprovide the seed-distributing box or boxes with small wheels of peculiarconstruction, they being furnished with teeth of wedge-like form, ashereinafter fully described. The wheels are located in the interior ofthe seedbox immediately opposite the adjustable seed-exit slots oropenings, the arrangement being such that the seed is caught in thespaces between the consecutive teeth of the wheels and is pressedoutward through the exit slots or openings of the seedbox by means ofthe oblique surfaces of the'teeth.

Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings show, respectively, a partialcross-section and a partial plan of the seedbox of a sowing-machineaccording to my invention. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation showing theadjusting apparatus. Figs. 4 and 5 show, on a larger scale, asowing-wheel in front elevation and cross-section, respectively, Fig. 5showing in dotted lines a modified form. Figs. 6 and 7 show, also on alarger scale, a slide arrangement in vertical section and horizontalsection, respectively. Fig. 8 is a plan of the slide-operatingmechanism, and Figs. 9 to 11 represent two constructions of the camsuitable for actuating the slide mechanism.

a are the peculiarly-formed wheels hereinafter referred to. They arejournaled in the seedbox 2), near to the bottom thereof and close to theexit-openings c therein, in such a manner that they will, as theyrevolve, move forward the seed toward the said openings. Each of thesaid wheels is provided on its periphery with wedge-shaped teeth d,which end in points either on both sides of the wheel, as shown in fulllines in Fig. 5, or 011 one side only, as indicated by the modifiedconstruction shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, and broaden inwardly in awedge-like manhave inclined upper surfaces to guide the seed down towardthe lower portions of the wheels o.

The regulation of the quantity of seed sown is effectedsimultaneouslyand uniformly for all the seed-exit openings 0 by suitably adjusting thebreadth of such openings. For this purpose there are secured on a rod 9slides h, which are caused to more or less cover or completely close thesaid openings by moving the rod 9 longitudinally. For the purpose ofshifting the rod g as required the said rod is connected to a lever 70,which is pivoted at 1) and whose end Z engages in or embraces, as thecase may be, a cam m Figs. 8 to 11. One half of the guiding periphery ofthe cam m is such as to give a straight development, so as to hold thelever stationary, while its other half is helical. The cam m is mountedon the shaft 11, for moving the seedfunnels, and consequently moves withthe latter.

To permit of the adj ustmeut of the slides h, the cam on is not fixed onthe shaft 01, but is only held in rotative connection therewith by ahalf-clutch o, keyed fast on the shaft n, so that after disengaging thecam m from the half-clutch o the former can be rotated on the shaft n.To enable this to be done, the cam is liberated by means of a handle 19,that is screwed on the shaft a, whereupon a spring q, inserted betweenthe half-clutch o and the cam m, presses the latter from the former.

Then the cam m is so placed that during half a revolution of the shaft11, for the purpose of adjusting the seed-funnels, its helical curve isin engagement with the end Z of the lever 70, the rod g will be shiftedendwise a certain distance and the slides h consequently opened to adetermined extent. hen, however, during another half of revolution ofthe shaft 'n, and consequently of the cam m, the straight guidingportion of the latter is in engagement with the end l of the lever 70,the slides h are not shifted and the seed-slits 0 remain open.

The cam m may be in the form of a camshaped groove (see Figs. 9 and 10)or a camshaped ridge, (see Fig. 11,) the effect being the same in eachcase.

For enabling the seed-exit openings 0 to be closed separately there areprovided slides s, which are located behind the slides h and are movablein guides t. The slides s have bent ends 8, arranged to bear against awedgeshaped strip 11, secured to the rear Wall of the seedbox I). henone of the slides s is drawn up into the position shown in Fig. 6, theend 5 Wedges itself against the wedgeshaped strip 14, whereby the slideis held fast in its open position. In this manner the fixing of theslides s by screws is obviated.

The wheels a, of which there may be any desired number, are located inthe seedbox on a driving-shaft r, and are arranged at suitable distancesapart.

Having now particularly described the nature of inyinvention and in whatmanner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. Ina seedsowing machine, the combination with the seedboxes havingseed-openings therein, the rotatable wheels having peripheral triangularor wedge-shaped teeth, of the slides for varying the area of saidseed-openings, the rod to which they are secured, the angle-leverconnected therewith, the cam with which said lever engages having itsperiphery made partly helical and partly circular, and means forrotating the same, substantially as described.

2. In a seed-sowing machine, the combina-- tion with the seedboxeshaving seed-openings therein, the rotatable seed-disks having peripheralwedged-shaped teeth, and the guideblocks located between said wheels,having their upper sides inclined in opposite directions, of the slidesfor varying the area of the seed-openings, the 'rod to which they aresecured, the angle-lever, the can1-wheel having its periphery madepartly circular and partly helical, the screw-shaft on which said wheelis journaled, the clutch member secured to said cam-wheel, the fixedclutch member on said shaft, the coiled spring interposed herebetweenand the handle having a screwthreaded aperture engaging with thecorrespondingly-threaded end of said shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ERNIT CROL'L.

Witnesses FANNIE MOORE, A. STILLE IvEs.

